Apparatus for dispensing towels, napkins, and the like.



P. G. MBRRITT.

APPARATUS FOR DISPBNSING TOWELS, NAPKINS, AND THB LIKE.

Y APPLICATION FILED FEB. 20, 1912.

1,057,973. Patented Apr.1,1913.

. *f l 1% 1 m :S51-mii? f4 "f active position so that the roll next tothe `desired and the rolls fed to an operative one being unrolled willnot contact therewith, and in order that the lowermost roll in aplurality of rolls may be cut out as position, one at a time, there isprovided a suitable cut out and retaining mechanism comprising a pair oflevers 25 pivotally mounted at 26, which levers at their upper ends areprovided with curved arms 27, andv at their lower ends with thereversely extending hooks 28. The hooks 28 support the ends of theroller 14 of the roll of towels next adjacent to that roll beingunrolled, until such time as it is desired to release this second rollof towels and permit it to drop into operative position. When it isdesired to secure this result, the levers 25 are rocked to the positionshown in full lines in Fig. 3; thus the hooks 28 are withdrawn frombeneath the roller 14 and permits this second roll of towels to `dropinto the position for dispensing the articles contained thereon.

It is desired that only one roll be dropped at a time, and therefore, aswillbe shown from Fig. 3, the withdrawal of the hooks 28 from engagementwith the ends of the roller 14 of the second roll in the line of rolls,simultaneously causes the curved arms 27 to be interposed beneath theends of the roller 14 of the top roll, as shown in Fig. 3; After theroll is dropped to operative position, the levers 25 will be swung inthe reverse direction to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2,thus throwing the hooks y28 into position to catch and support the toproller in an intermediate position, and the curved arms 27,simultaneously releases the top roller, permitting it to drop. l

ln order to swing the levers 25 and their retaining arms and hooks,there are provided links 30 which are pivotally connected at 31 to thecurved arms 27 of the levers 25, and also pivotally connected at 32 tothe crank arms 33 of a rock shaft`34-which supports the swinging shelf21. At one end, one of the cran arms 33 is provided with a laterallyprojecting arm 35 assing through' a slotted plate 36 in the si e wall 5of the casing, and provided upon the outside of the casing with a handle37, whereb the rock shaft may. be turned and the lin 30 operated torockv the shelf 21I andthe levers 25 to discharge an emptied roller intothe lower chamber 10, and to release and drop into operative position, afull roller as hereinbefore set forth. The slot in the plate 36 at itsl'ower end is provided with a notch or shoulder 38 with which thearm 35may be remera engaged to hold the parts in the position shown in Fig. 2.

In operation, assuming that the apparatus has been provided with aplurality of rolls of towels or napkins, (the one shown in the drawinghaving a capacity of three of such rolls), the rolls will be supportedin vertical alinement with each other with the rollers 14 fitting thespace between the guides 15 and 16, and as shown in Fig. 2, thelowermost roller will rest upon the pivoted shelf 21 with the leadingtowel passing over the said shelf and projecting as shown at 5. Thesecond. roll will be supported by the hooks 28 assuming that the firstroller has been reduced in diameter by the withdrawal of towels. As thetowels are drawn 0E of the lowermost roller 14, it will drop downwardtoward the pivoted shelf 21, and when emptied, it will rest in thelposition shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. At this time, an upwardmovement of the links 30 will lift the shelf 21 at its forward end anddepress it at its lower end, permitting the roller which has beenemptied to pass through the opening 19 at the back of the shelf 4, anddrop into the chamber 10, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3.Simultaneously with the upward movement of the forward end of the shelf21, the levers 25 will be rocked to the position shown in Fig. 3, thusreleasing the roller of the middle roll of towels, and permitting it todrop to the lowermost position, while at the same time, the curved arms27 will engage the ends of the roller 14 ofthe top roll and prevent itsdropping.

`After the new roll has fallen into position,

the shelf 21 is turned to the position shown in Fig. 2, whereupon thetop roll of towels will be released by the curved arms 27, and will dropto the intermediate position supported by the hooks 28, and theapparatus is again equipped for a further operation.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent:

1. In an apparatus of the class described, a. casing having guideways, aplurality of rollsl of towels or napkins disposed in the guideways ofthe casing one above the other, and means for supportingthe roll next tothe lowermost one out of contact therewith and releasing the same toallow it to move to operative position when thel towels or napkins havebeen drawn off from the sald lowermost roll.

2. In an apparatus of the class described, a casin having guideways, aplurality of rolls o towels or napkins disposed 1n the guideways of thecasing one above the other, and means for alternately supporting andreleasing the two rolls next above the lowermost roll.

3, In an apparatus of the Iclass described, a, casing having verticalguideways, a pluv rality of rolls of towels or napln'ns disposed in theguideways one above the other, a swinging shelf u on which the lowermostroll rests, means or alternately supporting and releasing the two rollsnext above the lowermost roll, and a connection between the said meansand shelf.

4. In an apparatus of the class described, in combination, a chamber,vertical 'des located atop osite ends of said cham er, a plurality ofrolls of towels supported in vertical alinement with each other in saidguides, a swinging shelf supported at the lower end of said guides, anda pair of levers having at their lower ends detaining 15 hooks, and attheir upper ends curved guides, and means connecting the swinging shelfwith the pair of levers whereby the Ashelf and levers are simultaneouslyoperated. v

In testimony whereof I have signed my 20 name to this specification inthe presence of two subscribin witnesses.

PAUL RENVILLE MERRITT.

Witnesses:

L. EARIEBEILANDE, Jos. F. WAI/10N.

